In Remembrance of these things

The author of this book, born in the Netherlands, was for thirty years a missionary in Japan. He returned to Holland in 1986 where he continued to be active in the Lord’s work until his death in 2006.

The book is aimed particularly at young believers: the author set out to provide them with a grounding in New Testament church principles. In an introductory chapter he considers what he terms ‘Prophetic Scriptures concerning the Church and the churches’, where he considers well-known verses in Matthew chapters 16 and 18, challenges the ‘widespread teaching that the church is in ruins’, and, in the next chapter, he identifies the differences between the church universal and the local church. The central chapters, 4-8, focus heavily on 1 Corinthians chapters 10 and 11 as the writer contrasts the Lord’s Table and the Lord’s Supper. The last two chapters are devoted to practical matters.

Much of what is offered in this little volume will receive hearty endorsement from many readers of this magazine. Inevitably in such a work there will be some matters on which, as the author recognizes in his Preface, there will be differences of understanding.

The book is a translation of what was originally written for publication in Dutch and German. The ground covered by this book is by no means virgin territory. Books such as W. E. VINE’s The Church and the Churches have served several generations well. Precious Seed’s Church Doctrine and Practice, containing teaching from the pens of a variety of writers has covered similar subjects. This book will reinforce what is currently available.

[Our thanks to Ed Hotchin, Hucknall, Nottingham, UK, for this review]